This invention relates to a utility receptacle assembly for use in combination with a worksurface, in which the assembly is movable between an operative position providing access to a utility receptacle and an inoperative or storage position for preventing access to the receptacle.
With increasing use of portable or lap top computers and other electronic equipment, it is desirable to provide power and data receptacles in a convenient and readily accessible location providing easy access by the user to the receptacles. Such equipment is often used in environments such as college classrooms, lecture halls, residence halls, offices, hotel rooms, and business or institutional training or conference facilities. To this end, power and communication capabilities are advantageously provided in worksurfaces for rooms or facilities of this type, such as in desks, tables, library carrels and the like.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a worksurface-mounted power and communication receptacle assembly which can be moved between an open, operative position and a closed, storage position. Another object of the invention is to provide such an assembly which is relatively simple in its construction and assembly and which is easy to manufacture and install in a worksurface. A further object of the invention is to provide an efficient arrangement for the power and communication receptacles associated with the assembly. Yet another object of the invention is to provide such an assembly which is readily adaptable to accommodate different types of communication receptacles.
The invention contemplates a number of aspects, which can be employed alone, in various subcombinations as desired, or all together to enhance construction, assembly and operation of the assembly.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a utility assembly for use in combination with a worksurface having an opening includes a base securable to the worksurface within the opening and a utility receptacle member pivotably engaged with the base. The utility receptacle member includes a receptacle face with at least one utility receptacle associated therewith. The utility receptacle member is pivotably movable between an operative position in which the receptacle face is accessible from the first surface of the worksurface and a storage position in which the receptacle face is inaccessible from the first surface of the worksurface. Retainer structure is interposed between the base and the receptacle member for releasably maintaining the receptacle member in its operative position. The retainer structure is movable to an engagement position when the receptacle member is moved to its operative position for releasably maintaining the receptacle member in its operative position. The retainer structure is manually movable to a release position by the operator to enable the receptacle member to be moved to its storage position. The retainer structure includes one or more flexible resilient members on the utility receptacle member each having a tab or foot engageable with a retainer surface on the base. Engagement of the flexible resilient member with the base adjacent the retainer surface results in flexing of each flexible resilient member during movement of the utility receptacle member to its operative position and for moving the foot into engagement with the retainer surface. The utility receptacle member includes a pair of side walls which are pivotably engaged with the base, and a flexible resilient member is associated with each of the utility receptacle member side walls. The flexible resilient members are each in the form of a flexible portion of the side wall of the utility receptacle member, with the foot being located toward one end of the flexible portion.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the utility receptacle member of the utility assembly has an electrical receptacle associated with the utility receptacle face, and the utility receptacle member is movable between its operative and inoperative positions as described above. The receptacle member includes an open internal cavity within which electrical contact structure for the electrical receptacle is located, and the internal cavity opens in a first direction. A cable extends into the internal cavity of the utility receptacle member through a wall thereof, and the cable has a series of wires. Wire routing structure is provided in the internal cavity and includes a series of recesses opening in the first direction, with each recess being adapted to receive one of the series of wires. A cover is mounted to the utility receptacle member after placement of the cable and its wires, and the cover includes wire retainer structure for maintaining the wires within the recesses. The wire routing structure includes a series of internal walls located within the internal cavity, and electrical contact members are mounted to one or more of the internal walls. Each of the internal walls defines an upper end, and at least one of the recesses is formed toward the upper end of each wall. The cover includes a bottom surface, and the wire retainer structure consists of a series of retainer members extending from the bottom surface of the cover. The retainer members function to prevent movement of the wires out of the recesses formed in the upper ends of the internal walls. The internal walls are oriented at a non-perpendicular angle relative to the cover bottom surface, and the internal wall upper ends are located at different distances below the cover bottom surface. The retainer members extending from the cover bottom surface are sized and shaped so as to be in close proximity to the upper end of each internal wall so as to maintain the wires within the recesses.
In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, the base includes at least one stationary first utility receptacle. The utility receptacle member is movably mounted to the base as summarized above for movement between its operative and inoperative positions for accessing, or preventing access to, the receptacle face. The stationary first utility receptacle is accessible from adjacent the first surface of the worksurface when the utility receptacle member is in its operative position, and the utility receptacle member in its inoperative position prevents access to the first utility receptacle from adjacent the first surface of the worksurface. The base includes a recess within which the first utility receptacle is mounted. A cover is associated with the utility receptacle member, and the cover overlies the recess when the utility receptacle member is in its inoperative position for preventing access to the first utility receptacle. In its operative position, the cover provides access to the recess and the first utility receptacle. The utility receptacle member is movably engaged with the base adjacent the recess within which the first utility receptacle is mounted. The cover is mounted to and movable with the utility receptacle member, and extends over the recess.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, the utility receptacle member includes an internal cavity defined by at least one outer wall. A utility cable extends into the internal cavity through the wall, and a strain relief arrangement is interposed between the cable and the wall for fixing the position of the cable relative to the wall, to prevent movement of the cable relative to the wall during movement of the utility receptacle member between its operative and inoperative positions. The outer wall of the internal cavity includes an opening through which the cable extends, and the strain relief arrangement includes a collar fixed to the cable and engageable with the outer wall adjacent the opening. The cover of the utility receptacle member encloses the internal cavity, and includes a tab or boss extending into the opening in the outer wall of the internal cavity and engageable with the collar.
The invention also contemplates a method of mounting a utility receptacle to a utility assembly for use in combination with a worksurface. The method involves mounting a base member within an opening formed in the worksurface, with the base member having a recess and including a first mounting section within the recess. The first mounting section has utility receptacle mounting structure for securing a first utility receptacle with a first mounting configuration to the base member. A cover is movably mounted to the base member for movement between an open position providing access to the recess and a closed position preventing access to the recess. The method further involves removing the first mounting section from the base member, and replacing the first mounting section with a second mounting section having utility receptacle mounting structure to secure a second utility receptacle having a second mounting configuration to the base member. The step of movably mounting a cover to the base member is carried out by securing the cover to a utility receptacle member which includes an additional utility receptacle, and pivotably mounting the utility receptacle member to the base such that pivoting movement of the utility receptacle member provides movement of the cover between its open and closed positions. The first mounting section is formed integrally with the base, and the step of removing the first mounting section from the base is carried out by separating the first mounting section from the base. The edges of the first mounting section are demarcated in order to assist in separating the first mounting section from the base. The first mounting section is removed from the base so as to leave a shoulder within the recess, and retainer structure is formed in the recess adjacent the shoulder by providing a locking tab within the recess and positioning the locking tab relative to the shoulder so as to receive an edge defined by the second mounting section therebetween. The second mounting section is engaged with the base by engaging the second mounting section with a first surface defined by the shoulder and deforming a portion of the second mounting section so as to engage a second surface defined by the shoulder, to grip the shoulder therebetween.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, the utility receptacle member is pivotably and removably mounted to the base. The base includes a pair of spaced walls, and the utility receptacle member includes spaced side walls, each of which is located adjacent one of the spaced base walls. The utility receptacle member is pivotably and removably mounted to the base via disengageable pivoting connection structure associated with and interposed between the spaced walls of the base and the utility receptacle member side walls. The disengageable pivoting connection structure includes an opening formed in each side wall of the utility receptacle member, and a resilient flexible member associated with each of the spaced walls of the base. A protrusion is provided on each resilient flexible member, which is biased by its resiliency toward an engaged position in which its associated protrusion extends into one of the openings in a side wall of the utility receptacle member. The resilient flexible members are manually movable by an operator to a release position in which the protrusions are removed from the side wall openings. Each resilient flexible member is in the form of a section of the base wall which is deformable relative to the adjacent areas of the base wall. The deformable base wall section is formed between a pair of slots which extend inwardly from an edge of the base wall. The base walls each border a recess formed in the base and, as summarized above, a utility receptacle is located within each recess.
As noted previously, the various aspects of the invention as summarized above can be employed alone in order to enhance construction and/or operation of a utility receptacle assembly. Preferably, however, the various aspects are utilized either in combination or various subcombinations, as desired.
Various other features, objects and advantages of the invention will be made apparent from the following description taken together with the drawings.